I'll Be There
by peace-love-jackson
Summary: My first story! Melissa, Jackson, and the rest of the Flight 29 Down gang are finally home. When Jackson's life twists around, will Melissa keep her promise? Hope you like it! Please R
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everybody! This is my first story so please review. i can take both negative and positive comments!!! Thanks! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters(i want jackson :'( )**

"Please fasten your seatbelts. We will be landing at LAX airport shortly. Thank you." The pilot's voice screeched from the tiny speakers above me. My fellow classmates around me cheered at the idea of coming home. But this only made me scared. I was excited about seeing my family. Finally I could hug my little sister, mom, and dad. Maybe eat some Chinese food, honestly. I missed rice. But, I was scared for Jackson. He, unfortunately, didn't have the same opportunities as me. He wouldn't be able to be with his family because he didn't have one. And foster care didn't count. And with the incident before the trip, he has to deal with the court and all the crap that comes with it. He doesn't deserve this. I mean, he was on an island for a month!

Then there is our relationship. Jackson told me that he feels the same way that I feel about him. Yet with the drama going on, will he remember what he said. Or worse…will he go back to Taylor?

Someone poking my shoulder interrupted my crazed string of thoughts and unwanted possibilities.

"Huh?" I turned around and found Jackson's piercing blue eyes searching through mine, trying to find out what was confusing me. Jackson's beautiful azure eyes. They reminded me of how the water looked like during the night back on the island." Whoa! I snapped out of my daydream as Jackson was trying to catch my attention.

"Melissa? Hey, Mel, you okay?" Jackson had his hands on my shoulders.

I shook my head, flying back to reality. "Huh? Yeah, I'm okay. Just fine! Nothing to worry about!" I was blabbering. I hate it when I blabber.

Jackson had this confused look on his face like I was going mental.

"If you say so. Well guess what?"He still had his hands on my shoulders. I turned to stare at them and how his hands gripped my shoulders in an absolutely painless clutch. He must have noticed me gazing at them because he suddenly pulled away.

"Hmm? What's up?" I tried to sound normal but I can't.

He looked me in the eye, cracked his gorgeous smile, and whispered the two words that caused me to go into frenzy.

"We're home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so first off, I am sooo sorry I havn't updated in ages!! I had a minor writers block, but that isn't an excuse. So here is the 2nd Chapter and I hope you like it! Oh and please review!! Thank you so much! Enjoy!**

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"_We're home"_

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Mr. Barry Wright, who preferred we call him Barry, came into view at the front of the passenger section of the plane. He signaled us to pay attention yet gave up at the sight of the 10 kids expressing their excitement of their dream come true.

"Wwwwwwwsssssssssshhhhhhhh", the sound of a whistle came shrieking behind me and instantly silenced everyone.

"Now, most of America thinks y'all are dead. So when they see your faces, it will cause national chaos. You kids have become the headline of every newspaper in the country. Be prepared to answer a few questions and have a couple photos taken. Am I clear?"

A mumbled yes satisfied his request. "So, who's ready to see your family?" We all cheered in hysteria.

"Melissa," Jackson grabbed my hand as the rest of the group exited the plane, "before the drama starts, I want you to know that what I said at camp will always be true. Nothing can change it, okay?"

Hearing this suddenly gave me a boost of self-esteem. "Don't worry. I'll never forget it, Cody."

The look on his face changed when he heard me say his real name. I noticed him trying to connect with me in his eyes as he leaned forward. "That's all I have to say." And with that he closed the gap between our faces.

"_HE IS KISSING ME!!!" _That was all my brain could process as Jackson softly placed his hand on my waist. Angelic choir was humming in my brain. The 4th of July sparklers were shooting everywhere. This is exactly how I imagined my first kiss to be like.

A soft cough from a flight attendant tore our faces apart. Hand in hand, Jackson and I walked down the aisle (don't worry, this is not the wedding) of seats. Yet irritated, I glared at the coughing flight attendant, who just smiled sheepishly in return.

"There you guys are! We thought you got stuck in your seats!" cried Nathan when we approached the group.

"Nah, that would only happen to Taylor." I replied. We all laughed when we saw Taylor's look of confusion.

"Barry" came up to the front of the group and started yet another one of his little pep talks. I swear this guy has more pep talks than a football coach! Oh, football! The idea of turning on the TV and watching a game! My sister and I would watch games every weekend. It's a little fact that no one at school knows about. Not even Nathan knows. Otherwise he would freak out, him being obsessed with football.

"Melissa! Snap out of it!" yelled Eric, whose face happened to be less than 5 inches away from mine.

"Whoa Eric, back up." I replied, placing two fingers on him chest and pushing him away. The way he stumbled backwards made us all laugh. In the time that we spent on the island, we got to know each other _really _well. Like Abby said, we became practically family.

"Now, as I was saying, your families are waiting behind these doors," he pointed to a set of glossy, black, French doors leading to the airport, "so let's get moving."

We all formed a line, side by side, and joined hands. We entered this journey together, and we will now leave the journey, together.

Two men opened the doors and we made our way inside. A moment later, we were bombarded by flashing lights and microphones shoved in our faces.

Another sharp whistle calmed the chaos as the reporters stepped to the side to reveal the people we have been dying to see for a month. Our families.

**Well? What did ya think? Please review! Oh and expect a cliff hanger in the 3rd chapter!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So here is the cliff hanger chapter I promised. I'm sorry its really short. But the next chapter will be long. Please review! Without your comments, I feel lonely! :(**

**Enjoy Chapter 3!!!**

**Oh and disclaimer: I don't own any of the main characters execpt for Barry, Kristy, and Mr. and Mrs. Wu. **

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I watched as Melissa dropped her duffel bag and sprinted to whom presumably was her family. I gazed as the couple pulled her into a tight embrace. They remained in that position until the little girl tugged at Mel's pants. She let go of her parents and picked up the girl, spinning her around until she got dizzy and hugged her. I saw tears form in Melissa's and her parent's eyes. I watched them, imagining them to be a perfect family. It would be something that I would never experience.

Giving the Wu's their personal space, I looked to my right, where I saw Taylor in her mother's arms. Her father was patting her back as the two embraced. I could see how Mr. Hagan refrained from showing emotion as his weeping wife cried her eyes out. In the time I had got to know her, Taylor rarely mentioned her father. Actually, the only time she mentioned him was when I confronted her about the fishing tips.

I stood there, staring at Taylor and her family until I heard a female voice calling out my name. I turned to see Melissa waving at me, signaling me to come. "Oh crap, time to meet the parents!" I slowly approached her, while trying to swallow the growing lump in my throat. When I arrived, she took my hand and faced her parents.

"Mom, Dad. This is my friend, Jackson." She said with a smile on her face. I immediately extended my free hand towards her father and, with the manners that I had learned coming back after a month exile, introduced myself, "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Wu. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Mrs. Wu was the first spoke out, "Thank you very much for taking care of Melissa. We appreciate it with all of our heart."

I simply nodded thanks when I felt something tugging at y pants. I looked down to see Melissa's sister waving at me. I went down on my knees to be at eye level with her. She waved again and said with a lisp, "Hewo! I'm Kwisty! You ah a twaall mwan !"

Melissa and her parents laughed and Melissa explained, "Jackson, this is my little sister, Kristy." To Kristy she said, in a much girlier voice, "Kristy, this is my friend Jackson. He is a tall man!"

"Oh! Hewo, Jackshon!" she attempted. I chuckled and patted the girl's head. In response, she just closed her eyes and giggled. She looked like an exact carbon copy of Melissa, except her hair was in bouncing curls.

I stood back up soon, the Wu's and I were talking, mostly about my foster homes. In the middle of explaining why the jury wouldn't allow my emancipation, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Barry, the guy from the plane, looking nervous as he spoke, "Jackson, there's someone who wants to see you."

He stepped aside to reveal a person that I didn't at first recognize. But when I looked at the stranger's eyes, it hit me like a train. I've seen this person before. Then, she said one word in a voice that sent shivers up my spine.

"Cody."

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**Like it? Well send me your comments!!! I wanna hear your guesses for who the mystery person is! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay so first, I know a lot of you have been waiting to see who the mystery woman is. So here it is! Sorry for the long wait. Please read and review!!! All comments are welcomed! Enjoy!**

"Cody." she said.

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"Jackson? Are you okay?" I asked worriedly. I looked at the woman once more. She was clad in a fading grey sweatshirt and brown fading cargo pants. Her dirty blond hair was tied in a messy braid. Her face was slightly puffy, as if she had been crying. But when I looked into her eyes, I was shocked. She had the same blue-grey eyes I had started into just 20 minutes ago.

"Jackson? Is that…" I couldn't form the words. It couldn't be true. Jackson had told me that she was not allowed out of her cell for another 4 years. Yet no matter how hard I tried to change my mind I knew it was true.

"Jackson," I tried again, "Is that your-" he immediately cut me off with the one word that changed our lives.

"Mother." he whispered. I froze for a minute then grabbed his hand and looked up at him. Yet he just started at the woman. She walked up towards us slowly and with hesitation. As if deciding whether or not she should approach her son. When she finally decided and arrived directly in front of him, she placed her hand on Jackson's cheek and smiled. In response, he just started into his mother's eyes like a zombie.

Minutes passed until he spoke, "Mom?"

His mom gave a sigh of relief as she hugged him. Jackson kept his limp arms hanging to the side. I caught his attention and signaled him to return the embrace. He just stared at me with a look of confusion and fear. He needed help, but this wasn't like the night of the storm. It wasn't like I could just go up to him, make him pour his heart out, and then hug him. This was completely different. I tried to think of doing something to help, but I didn't want to interrupt the moment.

Jackson's eyes pleaded for me to help him. Though defeated, I shrugged my shoulders, mouthed sorry, and walked away. He looked down at the floor and stayed like that.

I left them alone and headed towards Nathan and his family. The instant she saw me, Mrs. McHugh cried my name and pulled me into a bear hug. Nathan's mom was like a second mother to me. She, in return, treated me like her own daughter.

"Mom, I think she can't breathe." Nathan laughed.

"Oh I'm sorry dear!" she released me and put her hands on the sides of my face.

Staring into my eyes, she said, "Melissa, love, how are you? Oh, I'm so glad to see you safe! We have been worried sick about you bunch of kids. It is a relief to see you all alive and healthy!"

"Thanks, Mrs. McHugh! It's great to see you too!" I replied back.

"Hey Mel, who's that lady Jackson's talking to? Nathan asked.

I turned to see Jackson staring down at his mom as she looked sheepishly to the ground while talking.

"That's his mother."

"Seriously? I thought she was still locked up!"

Mrs. McHugh wacked Nathan's arm with her purse and scolded, "Nathaniel Martin McHugh! Don' talk like that about other people! I see that island didn't help with your manners. I wonder how you behaved towards your peers. You better have done the laundry there, mister. If you had the girls do it, I will be very ashamed!"

Trust me, Mrs. McHugh. It wasn't pretty!" I chuckled. We talked some more until Nathan when over to Daley and Lex.

"Did anything happen between them? I hope they didn't fight too much."Mrs. McHugh wondered aloud.

"The island changed everyone, Mrs. McHugh. We aren't the people we used to be. We experienced things normal people could imagine. I guess, it was the experience that forced us to unite and leave our past behind." I explained.

"Oh, honey!" she cried and pulled me into another hug.

"Melissa!" I heard someone call behind me.

Mrs. McHugh released me and I turned around to see Eric waving at me. I left Nathan's mom and headed over to Eric and his family.

"Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Melissa." Eric introduced.

"Pleasure it is to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. McGorill." I greeted and extended my hand towards Eric's mom. Yet she completely ignored my hand and pulled me into a tight squeeze of a hug.

"You are the one who saved my little boy's life! I can never thank you enough! Because of you, I still have my little baby!" Mrs. McGorill sobbed. I turned my head to the left and stared at a cherry-faced, blushing Eric. Internally, I was clutching my sides laughing.

When she released me, Mr. McGorill; a tall, pale man with the same blond hair that Eric had; shook my hand and thanked me.

"No problem. I was glad to help." I muttered.

"How did you know it was an allergic reaction that Eric had?" Mr. McGorill asked.

"Well, he said he had never had shellfish before and the symptoms he had were the same for a fatal allergic reaction. My cousin had the same reaction some time ago and my mom had showed me the medication needed to treat reactions like that." I explained

"Okay. Now that Dr. Wu has explained my diagnosis, can we please move on?"Eric, still red-faced, pleaded.

"Honey, let us talk to your friend. After all, she saved your life." Mrs. McGorill scolded her son.

"ATTENTION HARTWELL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FAMILY! THE PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BEGIN IN 15 MINUTES! PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY DOWN TO THE MAIN TERMINAL!" Barry's tell-tale voice sounded from the PA system.

"Press conference?" Taylor screamed from across the room.

**How'd you like it? Review your thoughts and what you think will happen in the press conference!!!**


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